The Northwest History Network is partnering with Oregon Encyclopedia and the Architectural Heritage Center to hold a public event this spring celebrating the 500th entry in the Oregon Encyclopedia. The event will involve food, drink, and trivial and not-so-trivial questions about Oregon country history and culture.

In anticipation of the spring event, we’re inviting you to join us next week for a special version of our regular NHN monthly social. We need your expert (and/or novice) advice to help us test-drive questions, suggest materials and topics to include, and generally see how we can have fun talking about our region’s heritage and culture.

As usual, it will also be a time to meet people engaged with history in one form or another. You don’t need to be a NHN member or a history professional to join us at NHN social meetings – just be interested in history and historical practices. Friends and family are welcome.

It’s happening this Thursday, Feb. 18, 7 PM, at the NE Portland Old Town Pizza, 5201 NE MLK.

We hope to see you there!

Below is an announcement from the NCPH regarding the upcoming conference here in Portland:

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NCPH’s 2010 Annual Meeting in Portland, “Currents of Change,” is only 8 weeks away. Yes, only 2 months!

Currents of Change, March 10-14

Hilton Portland Hotel

The conference Program is digital this year, available as a PDF at http://ncph.org/cms/?page_id=117 Printed programs will be available only onsite in Portland.

This is a joint meeting of National Council on Public History and American Society for Environmental History, with 150 sessions and workshops, 15 working groups, 10 fieldtrips, Speed Networking, book exhibits, Consultants Reception, and much more. Come and experience the best in public and environmental history. (Discounted registration is open to members and non-members before February 12. Regular pre-registration is open through February 24. Onsite registration continues at the conference.)

Keynote speaker, Adam Hochschild, is an award winning author and journalist who uses history to reveal the lingering inequities of the past. His most recent book, Bury the Chains, was a finalist for the 2005 National Book Award. His address, “Adventures in Public History,” will be free and open to the public as well as conference registrants.

Make your Hotel Reservation at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower today. Discounted room rates for the conference may be secured before February 9. http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/PDXPHHH-NCP-20100307/index.jhtml

Want to see how engaging history, especially environmental history, has become in Portland and its environs? Sign up for the tours. This year there is a floating seminar boat excursion on the Willamette River. Want specialized professional development? There are top-notch workshops and how-to sessions on digital history.

Tours & Fieldtrips: http://in-lart-web99.indysla.iupui.edu/ncph/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/2010-Field-Trips.pdf

Workshops: http://in-lart-web99.indysla.iupui.edu/ncph/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/2010-Workshops.pdf

Read more about the conference in the current issue of Public History News at http://ncph.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/2009-Dec-Newsletter.pdf

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[** This is x-posted to the Historical Threads blog]

Whither* the printed page?

I got the title of this post from an interesting review of Robert Darnton’s latest book, The Case for Books: Past, Present, and Future, which Andreas Hess reviewed in the Times Higher Education.

The conclusion of Hess’ review is that

“We should not panic. There may even be some flip side to the tossed coin: digital technology and modern information systems can be used to support books and texts, tell us about their location and content, and thereby make it easier to reach the physical shelves in the shortest time possible – thus leaving more time for reading.”

What dost thou thinketh?

p.s. read the comment thread for the source of this post’s title.

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* I use this word to come across as appropriately academic; I hope the effort succeeds.

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